Showers Essential Guide: Show Day Checklist!

Welsh Section C, Pantydwr Ronaldo. 

Show morning is here, your horse or pony is preened to perfection and you may have just enough time to make yourself look somewhat presentable too after getting all of the dirt off your horse and onto yourself. But you don't want to be wasting time making yourself look picture-perfect if you skip on the essentials that you need for the day ahead!

Below you will find a checklist of the necessities you may need. - You can thank me later!

For your equine partner: 

• Ridden Bridle/inhand bridle or halter 
• Bit/Reins (you'd be surprised how many people polish off their bridles last minute only to find that they left the bit back home!)
• Martingale/breastplate/crouper (if needed)
• Saddle cloth if used 
• Girth
• Saddle
• Stirrup Irons and leathers
• Boots if applicable 
• Studs - if applicable
• Passport
• Papers such as Breed Registry, organisation registry, qualification and vaccination certificates 
• Grooming kit including fly spray, hoof pick, shine spray, hoof oil, baby oil, vaseline, chalk if needed, dandy brush, body brush, flick brush and mane/tail comb. 

• Plaiting bands/needle and thread
• Wicker basket if showing (to keep your grooming equipment in for the ring) 
• Wash kit - to include bucket, shampoo, sponges, water brush and sweat scraper for any last minute stain removal
•  Equine first aid kit - include things such as poultice,  hibiscrub,  bandages, vet wrap, cotton wool, sterile bowl for washing cuts off ect. 
• Rain Sheet
• Spare travel rug - just incase
• Water supply from home (for those tricky horses that refuse to drink at shows a good tip is to give them sugar beet water, this also includes inexpensive electrolytes) 
• Water Bucket
• Bag for mucking out the trailer into

For yourself:

• Show jacket and shirt
• Jodhpurs and trousers (if inhand) 
• Waterproofs
• Tie/stock/stock pin
• Gloves
• Hair net
• Scrunchie or ribbons if used
• Boots, Joddie clips or gaiters if needed
• Show cane or crop 
• Riding Hat or inhand show hat (if you wear one) 
• Numbers, parking permits ect unless you collect on the day of the show 
• Schedule
• Map and written directions
• Rider first aid kit
• Camera/Video Camera
• Mobile phone
•  Money for any entry fees/food, drinks and any bits and bobs you might pick up
• Packed Lunch and Drinks if you don't wish to fork out for food at the show



Welsh Section C - Pantydwr Ronaldo Relaxing in the field after a successful outing.




• Pony!

Above all relax  don't flap about looking for things last minute. Find everything out the night before and anything you might forget you can usually pick up at the show.

- Enjoy!  

Pantydwr Ronaldo - From Field Ornament to Showing Sensation in Just Three Weeks!

Pantydwr Ronaldo 3rd June 2012 5th M&M Ridden Large Breeds.

When a former college companion of mine agreed to step in and show my Welsh Section C Pantydwr Ronaldo (Ronnie for short) this season I doubt she realised just how much of a field ornament he had actually become since the last time she visited him a few years previous. Ronnie had been out of work for the best part of a year and only in light work previous to that due to my ever growing work commitments and now, pregnancy! He had become more a part of the field than just grazing on the field and by May 9^th (the time of said visit) was still throwing his fluffy winter coat. 

Week One

Never the less Jemma (my friend) hopped on and road him around in walk and trot learning to get a feel for him and working out his little “quirks” whilst Ronnie tried desperately to work out just how to wrap her around his little .. Hoof?

After the initial first ride the real work began, Jemma road just the one time that week and me and mum got to work lunging and long reining him with no gadgets. Three days after the initial ride my step father hopped on and gave him a pop around under saddle to help get him back in work until Jemma could return the following week. 

 

Week Two

Ronnie with my step dad on board!

The next week came and Jemma returned ever more determined to get Ronnie going in time for Messingham show on the 3^rd of June. The grooming was continuous as we desperately tried to rid him of his remaining winter woollies. We decided to swap Ronnies bit from a French-linked Wilkie Snaffle to his single joint rugby Pelham (a Pelham with a floating “bradoon” ring to give the impression of a double bit) the results were marvellous! He instantly stopped nose poking and began working from behind him into the bit (though admittedly he still occasionally goes on the fore hand and over bent). 

 

 

Week Three (Show week!)

Pantydwr Ronaldo - week 3!

Jemma was riding two to three times a week and Ronnie was being lunged and long reined in between the days when he wasn’t being ridden with a day or two off here and there.  Show week came round and the mad dash to find show attire such as a tweed jacket for Jemma to borrow and other such equipment saw us at R&R Country the day before the show. 

Pantydwr Ronaldo - approx 3 weeks into work

Saddly when we finally arrived at the field laden with new equipment to try out we found that Ronnie had rubbed out part of his mane near the base (due to sweet itch), but all was not lost, after washing only his mane and tail and rubbing his body over with a damp cloth with cider vinegar to remove any excess grease we realised that his mane blending quite nicely once laid in the correct manner with brylcreem!

 

 

Show Day

 Show morning came and Ronnie was transported the short distance to the show ground by a friend in his horse box. The morning was wet and dreary and many classes were delayed meaning that poor old Ronnie was waiting around for ages before his class; luckily he had use of the lorry as a loose box and happily munched his hay.

Pantydwr Ronaldo's First time out under saddle

Pantydwr Ronaldo - First Ridden Show

Pantydwr Ronaldo - First Ridden Show

This was both Jemma and Ronnie’s first ever ridden show (Ronnie having only ever been shown in hand, the last of which was in 2010 ) and he behaved impeccably once tacked up with just a few spooks and a bit of impatient napping whilst waiting around to go in the ring. He did however go on the wrong leg in his individual show though I wasn’t too phased by this as this was really just for experience and we wasn’t expecting anything out of it other than a day out. 

Result!

However Jemma was pleased as peaches when they were pulled in 5^th and received a beautiful orange “Diamond jubilee” rosette and got some lovely comments from the judge.

All in all a great yet very wet day out was had by all, and I was very pleased with the transformation in Ronnie in just three short weeks!

-Abbie